Lead Editor: Amber Sekoll How does the teacher reform movement address teacher evaluations? How did it work in the past? How will it change in the future? Who has an impact on teacher evaluation reform?
II. Relevance of Problem or Issue in Rhode Island Schools
Our issue is relevant in Rhode Island schools because it addresses the issue of how test scores are a huge contributing factor to overall teacher evaluation. A good teacher in a Rhode Island schools could end up being fired if his/her student's standardized test scores are below par. Usually this occurs in classrooms with special education students who have a more difficulty taking standardized tests. The same challenge is seen in low socioeconomic regions in Rhode Island. Teachers who focus on special education or teach at lower income schools are vital, and programs like Race to the Top and the Rhode Island Strategic Plan discourage the best teachers from teaching needy students. Because of the emphasis the RTTT and the Rhode Island Strategic Plan put on standardized test scores when evaluating teachers, teachers are drawn away from wanting to teach the neediest of students because they won't score high on standardized test, which will lead them to be fired.
III. Relevance of Problem or Issue to the Charter Schools Movement
In Rhode Island's charter schools, teacher evaluation reform according to RTTT and the Rhode Island Strategic Plan will be an incentive to accept only the best of the best students who will score the highest on standardized tests. In order to keep a good image of having the most top-notch program around, charter schools need to take in those students who will make them look good by scoring high on standardized tests, and only hire teachers who have a high success rate with their students in the past on standardized test scores. If charter schools keep replacing public schools in the midst of the current education reform movement, only the best students will attend charter schools, while special needs students will be left in public schools with teachers who don't want to teach them.Ultimately, this may lead to more and more public schools being shut down by RTTT. In Rhode Island's charter school movement we also see under-qualified teachers being hired with "emergency certification". Some of what our research turned up was how/if teacher evaluations take into account a teachers certification or background. If Charter schools are given the liberty to higher teachers with questionable certification then a state wide initiative for the best teachers will be negatively affected.
IV. Research Summary
Editor: Marisa DeCollibus
Our research took us down different avenues of teacher evaluation. Looking at the history of how school evaluation started and also how it has changed throughout the years was a starting research point for our group. It was surprising that many schools are affected by reforms that started even before currently known reforms were implemented such as No Child Left Behind and Race to The Top.The different methods of evaluation in the class room was one primary focuses of our group. We looked at the different forms of evaluations analyzed them to see which ones worked the best incorporating experiences of watching how teachers teach. We also looked at the methods of teaching here in Rhode Island and how it can be improved. Focusing on improvement we researched if there was a correlation between the degree a teacher has and the effect it has on students. There are no statistics showing either a positive or a negative correlation, but many administrators have opinions on the subject. They stated that a higher degree doesn't necessarily mean that the students will score higher on their tests, but it will help the teacher find employment. Finally we looked at who should be evaluating teachers and who is doing so now. Researchers have concluded from various studies that teachers could improve their classroom performances the most by receiving student feedback, analyzing it, and implementing their suggestions to make improvements in the classroom. Receiving as much feedback as possible will help teachers understand what they need to change in their day-to-day lessons. In addition, both advocates for implementing test scores as a part of teacher evaluations and critics of using test scores as a part of teacher evaluations agree that student evaluations of teachers is an important part of an effective evaluation process, and should be implemented in the future. Research showed that teachers have the best chance of having a say in how they are evaluated through their teacher's unions. Teacher Unions have been advertising where they agree with reform so they will have more say in the changes being made. For more detailed research summaries refer to table at the bottom of the page.
V. Group Presentation Overview
Part One:
Introduce the topic: Talk about how teachers are being evaluated today, pass out two different evaluation rubrics (each student has one rubric or the other), explain them, then introduce the activity.
Part Two:
Activity: Watch a short clip of Dead Poet's Society and have students evaluate Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) using the rubrics they were given.
Then, come back together as a class and ask some questions like these:
Is Mr. Keating a good teacher based on your evaluation of him using your rubric?
Is Mr. Keating a good teacher? (disregarding the rubric) Why?
Each group member poses a discussion question based on their individual research:
Marisa: Teacher unions' involvement in teacher evaluation
Amber: Student involvement in teacher evaluation
Johnny/Bryan: How degrees teachers receive effect their evaluation scores?
Elizabeth/Jacob: Types of evaluation in the past, present, and future
Part Three
(If time permits)
Activity Part Two: Watch a short clip of Stand and Deliver and have students evaluate the teacher again using the same rubrics (use a different color for the new teacher). Then, come back together and reflect: Do current evaluation methods really gauge if a teacher is successful in the classroom? How about future models?
Wrap-Up
Final questions/comments/discussions about the issue!
Although education reform needs to focus on many issues, one of its priorities should be streamlining teacher evaluations. Our research as revealed areas in which there can be some improvement as well as focused on who is capable of making these changes. After our "teach in" opportunity we were able to pinpoint some necessary pieces of quality teacher evaluation. It was decided by the class that a good rubric would have room for comments and more clear definitions of what to be looking for in the teachers presentation. We found this interesting because some of the rubrics we had found being used in schools today do not offer those essential features. Most surprising and poignant in our presentation was when the class decided the quality of the teacher shown in the film clip was greater than that represented on their rubrics. Here we see the struggle in evaluating teachers, it can be subjected and often misrepresenting. Quantifying teachers' performances leaves little weight left for qualitative assessments. In oder to move forward in reform's quest to give students the best teachers possible, they have to better understand how to observe a teachers performance from all standpoints. Teachers, students, administrators and the like should participate in evaluation and reform equally for it will bring the perspective needed to asses teachers fairly.
I. Description of Problem or Issue
Lead Editor: Amber SekollHow does the teacher reform movement address teacher evaluations? How did it work in the past? How will it change in the future? Who has an impact on teacher evaluation reform?
II. Relevance of Problem or Issue in Rhode Island Schools
Our issue is relevant in Rhode Island schools because it addresses the issue of how test scores are a huge contributing factor to overall teacher evaluation. A good teacher in a Rhode Island schools could end up being fired if his/her student's standardized test scores are below par. Usually this occurs in classrooms with special education students who have a more difficulty taking standardized tests. The same challenge is seen in low socioeconomic regions in Rhode Island. Teachers who focus on special education or teach at lower income schools are vital, and programs like Race to the Top and the Rhode Island Strategic Plan discourage the best teachers from teaching needy students. Because of the emphasis the RTTT and the Rhode Island Strategic Plan put on standardized test scores when evaluating teachers, teachers are drawn away from wanting to teach the neediest of students because they won't score high on standardized test, which will lead them to be fired.III. Relevance of Problem or Issue to the Charter Schools Movement
In Rhode Island's charter schools, teacher evaluation reform according to RTTT and the Rhode Island Strategic Plan will be an incentive to accept only the best of the best students who will score the highest on standardized tests. In order to keep a good image of having the most top-notch program around, charter schools need to take in those students who will make them look good by scoring high on standardized tests, and only hire teachers who have a high success rate with their students in the past on standardized test scores. If charter schools keep replacing public schools in the midst of the current education reform movement, only the best students will attend charter schools, while special needs students will be left in public schools with teachers who don't want to teach them.Ultimately, this may lead to more and more public schools being shut down by RTTT. In Rhode Island's charter school movement we also see under-qualified teachers being hired with "emergency certification". Some of what our research turned up was how/if teacher evaluations take into account a teachers certification or background. If Charter schools are given the liberty to higher teachers with questionable certification then a state wide initiative for the best teachers will be negatively affected.
IV. Research Summary
Editor: Marisa DeCollibusOur research took us down different avenues of teacher evaluation. Looking at the history of how school evaluation started and also how it has changed throughout the years was a starting research point for our group. It was surprising that many schools are affected by reforms that started even before currently known reforms were implemented such as No Child Left Behind and Race to The Top.The different methods of evaluation in the class room was one primary focuses of our group. We looked at the different forms of evaluations analyzed them to see which ones worked the best incorporating experiences of watching how teachers teach. We also looked at the methods of teaching here in Rhode Island and how it can be improved.
Focusing on improvement we researched if there was a correlation between the degree a teacher has and the effect it has on students. There are no statistics showing either a positive or a negative correlation, but many administrators have opinions on the subject. They stated that a higher degree doesn't necessarily mean that the students will score higher on their tests, but it will help the teacher find employment. Finally we looked at who should be evaluating teachers and who is doing so now. Researchers have concluded from various studies that teachers could improve their classroom performances the most by receiving student feedback, analyzing it, and implementing their suggestions to make improvements in the classroom. Receiving as much feedback as possible will help teachers understand what they need to change in their day-to-day lessons. In addition, both advocates for implementing test scores as a part of teacher evaluations and critics of using test scores as a part of teacher evaluations agree that student evaluations of teachers is an important part of an effective evaluation process, and should be implemented in the future. Research showed that teachers have the best chance of having a say in how they are evaluated through their teacher's unions. Teacher Unions have been advertising where they agree with reform so they will have more say in the changes being made. For more detailed research summaries refer to table at the bottom of the page.
V. Group Presentation Overview
Part One:
Introduce the topic: Talk about how teachers are being evaluated today, pass out two different evaluation rubrics (each student has one rubric or the other), explain them, then introduce the activity.
Part Two:
Activity: Watch a short clip of Dead Poet's Society and have students evaluate Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) using the rubrics they were given.
Then, come back together as a class and ask some questions like these:
- Is Mr. Keating a good teacher based on your evaluation of him using your rubric?
- Is Mr. Keating a good teacher? (disregarding the rubric) Why?
Each group member poses a discussion question based on their individual research:Marisa: Teacher unions' involvement in teacher evaluation
Amber: Student involvement in teacher evaluation
Johnny/Bryan: How degrees teachers receive effect their evaluation scores?
Elizabeth/Jacob: Types of evaluation in the past, present, and future
Part Three
(If time permits)
Activity Part Two: Watch a short clip of Stand and Deliver and have students evaluate the teacher again using the same rubrics (use a different color for the new teacher). Then, come back together and reflect: Do current evaluation methods really gauge if a teacher is successful in the classroom? How about future models?
Wrap-Up
Final questions/comments/discussions about the issue!
VI. Visual Representation
VII. Research Questions and Reference Summaries
VIII. Group Reaction/Opinion(s) about Issue
Editor: Marisa DeCollibusAlthough education reform needs to focus on many issues, one of its priorities should be streamlining teacher evaluations. Our research as revealed areas in which there can be some improvement as well as focused on who is capable of making these changes. After our "teach in" opportunity we were able to pinpoint some necessary pieces of quality teacher evaluation. It was decided by the class that a good rubric would have room for comments and more clear definitions of what to be looking for in the teachers presentation. We found this interesting because some of the rubrics we had found being used in schools today do not offer those essential features. Most surprising and poignant in our presentation was when the class decided the quality of the teacher shown in the film clip was greater than that represented on their rubrics. Here we see the struggle in evaluating teachers, it can be subjected and often misrepresenting. Quantifying teachers' performances leaves little weight left for qualitative assessments. In oder to move forward in reform's quest to give students the best teachers possible, they have to better understand how to observe a teachers performance from all standpoints. Teachers, students, administrators and the like should participate in evaluation and reform equally for it will bring the perspective needed to asses teachers fairly.